TILLAGE POINT
A tillage point configured to produce a uniform subsurface soil profile. The tillage point includes a main body having a leading edge, a top surface and a bottom surface. Wing sections extend laterally from the main body.
Deep tillage implements have a plurality of laterally and longitudinally spaced shanks which penetrate the soil as the implement advances. A tillage point, or ripper point, is mounted on a forwardly projecting, generally wedge shaped mount at the bottom of the shank to fracture the soil as the implement advances.
It has been found that conventional ripper points produce a soil profile with a mound of compact soil between the ripper points as illustrated in
Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals designate the same or corresponding parts throughout the several views,
In comparison to conventional ripper points 10 as illustrated in
Additionally, in order to reduce drag on the ripper points as they are pulled through the soil, in each of the embodiments 100, 200, 300, 400, the leading edge of the wings is sloped downwardly and forwardly from the trailing edge of the wings. After testing, it has been found that the particular geometry of the various components of the ripper points common to each of the embodiments of the ripper points 100, 200, 300, 400 will produce a soil profile which eliminates or significantly reduces the undesirable mounds of compact soil between conventional ripper points.
Referring to
Referring again to
Referring to
The second ripper point embodiment 200 is comprised of a main body 210, a wing member 220, and a wing support plate 230 that also forms the shank bracket 240. As best viewed in
Continuing to refer to
Referring to
It should be appreciated that the main body 110, 210 of the ripper point embodiments 100, 200 may be fabricated from a plurality of stacked steel plates welded or bolted together, rather than the main bodies being fabricated from a single piece of steel as shown.
The third ripper point embodiment 300 is comprised of a main body 310, having wing member 320 and a shank bracket 340. The main body 310 is wedge shaped with an upper surface 312 and a lower surface 314 and includes a forward nose 316 and a rearward tail 318. The upper surface of the main body 310 slopes slightly toward the tail 218. The nose 316 is beveled on the lower surface 314 such that when the ripper point 300 is attached to a shank 20 of the tillage implement (see, e.g.,
The wing member 320 includes right and left wing sections 323, 324 which sweep rearwardly, defining a leading edge 325 and a trailing edge 326 and wing tips 327 as best viewed in
The tail end 318 of the main body forms an inverted U-shaped channel with downwardly extending sidewalls 344 forming the shank bracket 340. Apertures 346, 347 are provided in the sidewalls 344 for bolting the ripper point 300 to the shank 20 of the tillage implement in substantially the similar manner as shown in
The fourth ripper point embodiment 400 is comprised of a main body 410, a wing member 420, and a wing support plate 430 that also forms the shank bracket 440. As best viewed in
The wing member 420 includes a central portion 422 which engages with the recessed area 419 formed in the upper surface 412 of the main body 410 and is secured thereto by welds. The wing member 420 includes right and left wing sections 423, 424 which sweep rearwardly, defining a leading edge 425 and a trailing edge 426 as best viewed in
A nose cap 450 is welded over the wing member 420 received within the recess 419. The nose cap 450 and the main body 410 are beveled on the lower surface 414 such that when the ripper point 400 is attached to a shank 20 of the tillage implement (see e.g.,
Continuing to refer to
It should be appreciated that although construction varies between the three embodiments 100, 200, 300, 400 each of the three embodiments have substantially the same overall configuration and geometry as described in connection with embodiment 100. Thus, when the ripper points 100, 200, 300, 400 are mounted to the shanks 20 of the tillage implement, due to the wider wingspan in comparison to conventional ripper points, the horizontal distance B (
Additionally, in order to reduce drag on the ripper points as they are pulled through the soil, in each of the embodiments 100, 200, 300, 400 the leading edge 125, 225, 325, 425 of the wings is sloped downwardly and forwardly from the trailing edges 126, 226, 326, 426 of the respective wing members 120, 220, 320, 420. Such configuration has been shown to produce a soil profile with little or no undesirable mounds of compact soil being formed between the wingtips 127, 227, 327, 427.
The ripper points 100, 200, 300, 400 are configured to reduce drag on the leading edges of the wings while still having an optimal working width between wing tips 127. Wings 120, 220, 320, 420 engage the soil at a shallower depth than the leading edge of the nose 116, 216, 316, 416 while being forwardly positioned along main body 110, 210, 310, 410 such that the leading and trailing wings edges 125/126, 225/226, 325/326, 425/426 minimize peaks and valleys in the soil profile. In such a configuration, the leading edges 125, 225, 325, 425 engage and fracture harder compacted soil (i.e., hardpan), while the wings 120, 220, 320, 420 lift and twist looser soil, thereby burying residue and adding oxygen to the soil. The wing sections 123/124, 223/224, 323/324, 423/424 are angled downwardly with respect to the main body 110, 210, 310, 410 about an axis perpendicular to the direction of travel. This configuration enables each wing 120, 220, 320, 420 to produce a greater degree of soil fracture, thereby increasing soil oxygen content and enhancing root growth. Additionally, the leading edges 125, 225, 325, 425 of each wing is configured to engage the soil at a greater depth than the trailing edges 126, 226, 326, 426 of the wing which is believed to substantially reduce or eliminate soil compaction under the wings 120, 220, 320, 426.
It should be appreciated that the wingtip-to-wingtip spacing referred to herein, is meant to include both longitudinally and laterally aligned ripper points as well as staggered configurations in which one ripper point mounted longitudinally rearward of a preceding adjacent ripper points.
The configurations of the ripper points 100, 200, 300, 400 are capable of operating over the range of depths at which deep tillage implements are typical used and over a range of speeds of the tillage implement 10 producing a uniform and ideal subsurface soil profile.
Various embodiments of the invention have been described above for purposes of illustrating the details thereof and to enable one of ordinary skill in the art to make and use the invention. The details and features of the disclosed embodiments are not intended to be limiting, as many variations and modifications will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art. Accordingly, the scope of the present disclosure is intended to be interpreted broadly and to include all variations and modifications coming within the scope and spirit of the appended claims and their legal equivalents.
Claims
1. A tillage point configured to connect to an implement shank for movement in a forward direction to produce a uniform subsurface soil profile, the point comprising:
- a main body having a leading edge, a top surface and a bottom surface;
- wing sections extending laterally from the main body, the wing sections having a leading edge and trailing edge.
2. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the wing sections extend downwardly from the top surface of the main body and rearwardly with respect to the direction of travel.
3. The tillage point of claim 2 wherein the wing sections slope between about 25 degrees to about 31 degrees from horizontal.
4. The tillage point of claim 2 wherein the wing sections slope downwardly at angle between about 10 degrees to about 30 degrees relative to the top surface of the main body.
5. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the wing sections slope between about 25 degrees to about 31 degrees.
6. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the trailing edge of the wing is thicker than the leading edge of the wing.
7. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein a horizontal plane tangent to the leading edge of the wing is no more than 4 inches from a horizontal plane tangent to the leading edge of the central body.
8. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the distance from the leading edge of the wing nearest the top surface to the leading edge of the main body is no more than 4 inches to ensure uniform working of a layer of soil.
9. The tillage point of claim 2 wherein the wing sections extend laterally from the main body and rearwardly of the leading edge of the main body.
10. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the distance from wingtip section to wingtip section is approximately 14 inches.
11. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the top surface of the central body defines an angle approximately 28 degrees to the horizontal.
12. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the main body has a forward portion with a top surface a defining a first angle relative to the horizontal and a rearward portion with a top surface defining a second angle relative to the horizontal.
13. The tillage point of claim 12 wherein the top surface of the forward portion defines an angle approximately 28 degrees to the horizontal and the top surface of the rearward portion defines an angle approximately 21 degrees to the horizontal.
14. The tillage point of claim 1 wherein the rearward portion of the main body defines a cavity for receiving the implement shank.
15. A tillage point configured to connect to an implement shank for movement in a forward direction to produce a uniform subsurface soil profile, the point comprising:
- a main body having a leading edge, a top surface, a bottom surface, the leading edge and top surface define an angle approximately 28 degrees relative to horizontal; and
- wing sections extending laterally from the sidewall of the main body, the wing sections having a leading edge and trailing edge positioned near the top surface of the main body, and a wing tip, each wing defining an angle approximately 28 degrees relative to horizontal.
16. A tillage point configured to connect to an implement shank for movement in a forward direction to produce a uniform subsurface soil profile, the point comprising:
- a main body having a leading edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface having a forward portion defining a first angle relative to horizontal and a rearward portion relative to horizontal; and
- wing sections extending laterally from the main body on a forward portion of the main body, the wing sections having a leading edge and trailing edge positioned near the top surface of the main body, each wing section having a wing tip.
17. A tillage system configured with a plurality of shanks extending therefrom for movement in forward direction to produce a uniform subsurface soil profile at variable row spacing, the system comprising:
- a first ripper point having a main body with a leading edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and wing sections extending laterally from the main body, the wing sections having a leading edge and trailing edge positioned near the top surface of the main body, and each wing section having a wing tip;
- a second ripper point having a main body with a leading edge, a top surface and a bottom surface, and wing sections extending laterally from the main body, the wing sections having a leading edge and trailing edge positioned near the top surface of the main body, and each wing section having a wing tip;
- wherein a distance between a path of the wing tip of the first ripper point and a path of the wing tip of the second ripper point is between 30% and 50% of the configured shank spacing.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 11, 2017
Publication Date: Jul 13, 2017
Patent Grant number: 10806063
Inventors: Anthony B. Carbaugh (Washington, IL), Ryan VanDusen (Wyanet, IL)
Application Number: 15/404,178